(57) Surgical tools having a two degree-of-freedom wrist (70), wrist articulation by linked
tension members (218, 220, 222, 224), mechanisms (372, 390) for transmitting torque
through an angle, and minimally invasive surgical tools incorporating these features
are disclosed. An elongate intermediate wrist member (80) is pivotally coupled with
a distal end of an instrument shaft (74) so as to rotate about a first axis transverse
to the shaft, and an end effector body (72) is pivotally coupled with the intermediate
member so as to rotate about a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. Linked
tension members (218, 220, 222, 224) interact with attachment features (180, 182,
184, 186) to articulate the wrist. A torque-transmitting mechanism (372, 390) includes
a coupling member (384, 394), coupling pins (398, 400), a drive shaft (392), and a
driven shaft (396). The drive shaft is coupled with the driven shaft so as to control
the relative orientations of the drive shaft, the coupling member, and the driven
shaft.
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